Words. {Day6}

3.

Jae set the car into park as Lacey slid down from her seat in the van to the concrete below. "I'll only be a minute." She murmured as she clutched her sketchbook in her hand and headed into the parlor in front of her.

"Hey Lacey!" Greeted one of the tattoo artists as they sat behind the register drawing on sticky notes. "Duchess is in the back with a client. Give her a minute."

"Okay." Lacey murmured as she took this moment to sit down and flip through her sketchbook. She was terrified to show Duchess her work from this week. Duchess was always a harsh and merciless critique. Everyone said she was always so nice and uplifting, yet she had always been nothing but a cold hearted demon towards Lacey. According to Duchess it seemed like Lacey was never good enough no matter what technique she tried or what style she drew in. She passed her sketch of the caged bird before falling on her watercolor of a woman with day of the dead paint on her face. It was a piece rich in vibrant color. It payed good attention to detail, it was anatomically correct and the colors just really popped. She was hoping to finally earn Duchess's seal of approval.

A skinny girl walked out of the back room, with Duchess close on her heels. She seemed nervous as she headed towards the door. She stopped at the front counter as Duchess sat at the computer, twirling a strand of her electric blue hair around her finger. "So let's set a date for the appointment and an artist." Lacey could hear the girl breathing uneasily as she glanced at her sketchbook from beside her. Lacey tried to ignore the wandering eyes but couldn't help feeling exposed as the girl checked out her work like a guy would stare at a hot girl.

Hesitantly she asked, "can- can she be my artist?" She gestured towards Lacey shyly.

Duchess shot Lacey a cold look the younger girl couldn't quite handle. She felt like she was cracking under the immense weight of her mentors stare. Duchess smiled at the girl beside her and said politely, "she doesn't work here.... she's just a trainee." The girl silently acknowledged the fact as her contagious quiet spread over the room. Finally caving Duchess said, "why don't you go home and sleep on it?" She smiled warmly at the timid girl before they agreed to meet again, and she left.

"Lacey, why're you even here?" Duchess muttered to the younger girl.

Lacey frowned, "we had an appointment? You were supposed to look over my sketchbook and tell me when I can get my own tattoo gun."

Duchess glanced at the sketchbook, "I don't need to even see your work to know I wouldn't trust you to give someone a stick and poke. Your own tattoo gun? God kid you must have a thick skull." She eyed Lacey's raven braids, "what's even under all that?"

Lacey clenched her fists tighter around her sketchbook. "A brain, the same size as yours." It was a solid blow, and her mentor knew so.

Scoffing Duchess replied, "and that's another reason you'll never work at this parlor, or any for that matter. Your attitude is deplorable."

"Maybe it is! But my art doesn't deserve to suffer for it!" Lacey continued, as she tried to suppress the strain coming over her.

Duchess leaned over the counter, "why don't you shut your coloring book there, and walk your little self back into your big brothers van."

She didn't know how to reply. But she knew if she stayed she would lose it. So without another word Lacey left the parlor and got into Jae's car as instructed. "Let's just go." She murmured.

"Finally." Jae sang as he turned up his music and began towards the bar.